Match-safe.



Patented Jan.-9, I900. P. G. HALE.

MATCH SAFE.

(Application filed Sept. 28, 1898.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES LATENT Prion.

- PRESCOTT e. HALE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MATCH-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 640,763, dated January9, 1900.

' Application filed September 28, 1898. Serial No. 692,055. (No model.)

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PRESCOTT G. HALE, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Match-Safes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in match-safes,'and particularlyin that class of such devices which combine a receptacle for unusedmatches and a receptacle for burned matches.

The invention consists in the matters'herein set forth, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, and will be fully understood fromthe following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of amatchsafe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of theburned-match receptacle thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalelevation of the match-safe. Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the openposition of the bu ruedmatch receptacle.

Referring to said drawings, the match-safe comprises an upper receptacleA, comprising side walls a, front and rear walls a and a respectively,and a bottom wall a all preferably cast integral with each other. Thisreceptacle is designed to contain fresh or un- I used matches and isdesirably provided with a hinged cover A, as shown. The side walls a ofthe safe depend below the bottom a of the upper receptacle and serve tosupport between them a lower burned-match receptacle A This latter ismade with side walls a spaced just wide enough apart to enter betweenthe depending side walls a of the upper receptacle and provided withprojecting pintles a by which the lower receptacle is pivotallysupported in grooves a that are formed in the inner faces of thedepending side walls a and that extend downwardly and rearwardly fromthe front edges thereof. The side walls a of the lower receptacle areconnected by a front wall a a bottom wall a and a rear wall a", alldesirably cast integral with each other and with side walls a and allherein shown as merging into each other by easy curves and without anyparticular lines of separation, although they may be otherwiseconstructed in this latter respect.

The rear portion of the lower receptacle back of its pintles a is madeheavier than its front portion by an amount sufficient to normally tipthe front of the receptacle upward until it is closed by coming incontact with the bottom wall a of the compartment above, suchpreponderence of weight being; in this instance provided by increasingthe thickness of the rear wall (t to the necessary extent. To placeburned matches within the lower receptacle, it is tipped forward, asshown in Fig. 4:, by means of a projecting ledge a at its upper frontedge, and to prevent its being tipped so far as to spill its contents itis provided with projecting stops o which come in contact with the loweredge of the rear wall a of the safe, and thus limit the extent to whichthe receptacle can open. The bottom wall a is, furthermore, shown asroughened or serrated, so that matches can be ignited by scratching themupon this roughened surface, and to prevent the upward pressure appliedto the box when matches are thus ignited thereon from moving thereceptacle bodily upward and forward along the inclined grooves a", andperhaps out of the casing altogether, the receptacle is provided alongthe upper edges of its side walls with projecting points 60 which whenit is closed enter recesses a in the superjacent wall a of the casingand form a positive stop against any bodily movement of the receptacledue to such pressure, but do not in any way interfere with the swingingof the receptacle on its pintles.

The construction thus described is such that in its normal closedposition the burnedmatch receptacle will be to a considerable degreeair-tight, so that any spark or flame remaining on a burned matchafterit is placed in the receptacle will tend to be promptly smothered,and thereby prevented from igniting the other burned matches or theunused matches in the compartment above. To empty out the burnedmatches, it'is only necessary to tip the receptacle slightly until its IWhile thus described as a match-safe, however, the device may obviouslybe employed to hold any other material or commodity, if desired. It willalso be understood that the self-closing receptacle described may beadvantageously employed in situations or for purposes in which the uppercompartment would be unnecessary and could be dispensed with and thatthe device may be made in whole or in part of sheet metal or other material instead of cast metal, if so desired.

1 claim as my invention 1. The combination with the casing having sidewalls provided .in their inner faces with the grooves a extendingdownwardly and rearwardly from the front edges of said Walls, of theself-closing receptacle having pintles a removably seated in the lowerrear ends of said groovesand pivotally supporting said receptacie, thelatter being made heavier in its rear portion and provided with theexposed roughened bottom a and with rigidlyattached upwardly-projectingpoints at en'- gaging recesses 01 in the casing to prevent thereceptacle from being lifted bodily to unseat its pintles when struckupon its roughened bottom, said points and recesses at the same time notinterfering with the pivotal movement of the receptacle, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination with the casing having an upper compartment formed byside Walls a, front and rear walls a and a and a bottom Wall a said sideWalls depending below the bottom wall, and being provided in their innerfaces of the depending portions with grooves a extending downwardly andrearwardly from the edges of said Walls, of the self-closing receptacleA having pintles a

